Low back pain accompanied with pelvic pain is a typical symptom of herniated disc. However, pain worse on the pelvis than on the waist, and pain around the coccygeal area or sacrum without problem of disc according to MRI may be due to Sacroiliac Syndrome.
Sacroiliac is a part that connects the triangle-shaped sacrum and iliac crest, in between the vertebrae and the coccyx (tailbone). This part, commonly known as the pelvis, absorbs shock from every movement and plays a role in supporting the joint. However, Sacroiliac Syndrome may occur from infection of damaged or stretched ligament joining with the sacroiliac.
One can easily damage the sacroiliac ligament when one falls on his behind, damages the hip from accident, practices yoga or any excessive stretching, swings to one direction during golf, or plays tennis and other similar sports. Even pregnant women with damaged pelvic ligaments or insufficient restoration of the hip during postnatal can be prone to get injured.
After waking up in the morning, pain is worse when standing still than walking and cannot lie down straight because the pain is worse on the tailbone.
Patient with Sacroiliac syndrome has difficulty sitting with his leg crossed and the pain worsens when he tries to change the sitting position while giving pressure on his pelvis. When the symptoms worsen, the pain radiates from the femur to the calf and even to the feet; this symptom can be misinterpreted as herniated disc. However, there are many cases of improper treatment of the sacroiliac tendon due to the uncertainty of diagnosis from X-ray or MRI results.
We can expect great results from acupuncture treatments, which relaxes cramped up muscles on the joint and widens the range of movement, along with intake of herbal medicine, which helps in the restoration of muscle, ligaments, nerves, etc., depending on the overall stiffness of the pelvic joint from Sacroiliac syndrome.
To further recover from Sacroiliac syndrome, maintaining upright position is essential. Refrain from bad position that can twist the pelvis, such as hanging off from a chair or sitting with one leg over the other. Lift heavy object by bending your knees, placing the object close to the body, and standing up while using your knee strength. Regular stretching and muscle workout can strengthen the muscle and prevent weakening of the muscle, which can lead to joint disease. For pelvic pain, fifteen minutes of application of ice after exercise is beneficiary in preventing inflammation.
Following are stretching exercises to correct crooked pelvis:
Lie down facing up and separate both legs about 30 cm. Rotate both legs inward as much as possible so that the big toes face each other. This position allows the foot and the joint connecting the leg with the hip to move together.
Rotate both legs so both toes are pointing outwards, and repeat these steps ten times. The movement of twisting the hip right and left not only relaxes the muscles but also strengthens it.
Published by KoreaTimes under <Health Column> on April 19th, 2016.
Comments